Goodvibes

The coach in me says it's Max time. Coaches are over-rated. This team will win today if our leaders stand up. They have to drive the standards. The last few minutes should be all about them with Max having the final word.

14 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Sometime in the third quarter I suddenly started calling Charlie Spargo 'Banksy' and I like so I'm going to keep doing it.

Nobody knows who he is and he keeps producing little works of art in unexpected places.

You're drawn me out of hibernation LG. That's very very good from you.

Well, I'll be there. It's going to be a bit strange barracking against a few girls I've coached. Any other QLD Dees planning on attending?

4 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I was delightfully surprised to hear Pert say  that the new facilities would have social areas for members/supporters to go before/after games. 

Sorry LH, when was this?

I can't believe I'm analysing a 5 second grab but the words "missed out" suggest the decision was Hogan's. The Perth media would have put a different slant on it (even in 5 seconds) if they'd cooled on the deal.

Sydney now have pick 26 and 28. Is one of those picks fair compensation for losing a player we don't want to lose?

57 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Did they use Richmond's doc???

Moonie, if you dig deeply into the Demonland rules and regulations you'll find reference to making the same joke twice within 24 hours. You've been warned.

So who's going to be the first poster to change their username to Demonland4276?

1 hour ago, Moonshadow said:

 

Imagine:

In: Gaff (FA), May, KK, Preuss, pick 5 or 6, future 2ndor 3rd rounder (Kent), pick 36 (AVB)

Out: Hogan, Kent, AVB, pick 44 (Preuss) maybe some later pick swaps.

Nice.

 

There's a post like this every year that gets Demonland salivating. And it never comes close but this doesn't seem beyond the realm of possibilities. Make it happen Moonie!

At some point post the trade period Gaff will assure the footballing world that his move wasn't motivated by money. That's going to be an easier sell wearing red and blue as opposed to blue and white.

Sorry, where's all the Whitfield talk coming from?

40 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Thanks DZ...I was curious as to roughly how many GF tickets from mfc allocation are set aside for them.

I'm interested in the answer too LH. I'm QLD-based but always buy the full home membership so I assume that would put me in Priority Category 2. Definitely be interested in finding out what kind of odds we'd have of jagging a ticket. Hate even considering it before winning a prelim. Feels like we'll jinx it but I guess this is the system in place. So anyone have any clue what percent chance Priority Cat 2 members will have? Cheers in advance.

12 hours ago, Return to Glory said:

Buddy as captain is bizarre. On what basis did they arrive at that decision?

 

If The All Australian team was to play another bizarro world, alternative universe All Australian Team, I'd want someone with some experience leading my team. 8 All Australians is an incredible achievement. And his "kick it to me" comment was gold.

Something will happen Redleg. Bernie will get fined for saying what we all know to be true.

Scott Selwood to Angus Brayshaw? I think our boy might be in for his first hard tag.

4 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Yes, I watched their entire game. 

I'm going off of what we've seen to date.

Geelong lost to a fired up Adelaide away from home and are now in jeapody of losing their position in the 8. Do you believe they won't respond? 

I'm the realist anonymous Melbourne supporter you'll meet. If I think we're a good bet, I'll say so. And I'm simply saying that I can't see us winning this weekend given my reasoning. Which is backed off an entire season of results and trends in our play. We're yet to take a scalp. We're yet to win a prime time game. And we're yet to make a statement. 

Also, there's a difference between "Can't" lead and "leading to the wrong spots far too often". And if you don't agree, I suggest you watch how often Hogan and McDonald get in the way of each other during games. 

I admire what Goodwin has done since his takeover. It's nice to know that we're one of the best contested possession sides in the AFL, even 'the' best. But maybe unlike you, I don't get carried away with those positives due to the good work that comes undone so often in games. 

In short, if those areas of our game are even a little off, we're an extremely vulnerable side because of our inability to stop opposition scores once inside our defensive 50. All the top sides know this. And they've beaten us by outcoaching and outsmarting us. 

 

So you're anticipating them to respond and play better and assuming we won't improve?

And I'm not sure I've provided any evidence of "getting carried away with those positives".

You don't trust our team and I can understand why but my main point is that there's not many teams out there smashing it on all fronts. Everyone looks vulnerable to me and everyone has obvious flaws. We're as good as any of the top 8 - 10.

55 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

. For one, we still make far too many mistakes as a side and Geelong are a team who will punish turnovers from our defensive 50. Frost is my case in point. He is playing, so we're already in trouble in that regard. 

Aside from the third quarter of last week, we were again extremely inefficient when going inside 50. Whether it's Hogan leading to the wrong spots far too often or our mids and half forwards kicking to the wrong spots and refusing to lower their eyes again, it happened all game aside from the third. 

Did you see Geelong play last week? Their defence was mistake-riddled when rebounding and their forwardline looked one-dimensional. Their much talked about midfield has lost contested possessions and clearances most of the year. I just came from the 'Mr Jones' thread. The negativity about our own players is incredible. Jones and Viney bagged and now Hogan can't lead. I think most here think a team can only win a premiership with 22 super stars. Plenty of role players with obvious flaws have tasted premiership success. We're a pretty handy team that is getting better. Sure we have a few deficiencies and a few players who can turn it over but so does every team. We also have the most impressive contested ball winning midfield in the league, two quality key position forwards and the form ruckman of the competition. We might just be ok.

The teams who have beaten us badly this year boast an impressive array of small forwards. My main concern today, surrounds our ability to deal with their small to medium forwards. Really hoping I don't see too many Collingwood speedster leaving Lewis and Vince trailing behind as they run in to goal. I'd like to think we've made the appropriate structural changes since the Hawthorn and Richmond games to ensure we don't get exposed out the back. Our forward line should be too good for them and our midfield should beat them at the contest. It's scary to consider what the rest of the season will look like if we win and win well today.

His extract with one hand and then punch it out with the other though traffic to a team mate, all in one seemingly effortless motion, is a thing of beauty. I still don't think people (outside of Demonland of course) quite get the genius being displayed because it all happens too quickly. Or the commentators are too busy discussing the length of socks or the curious facial expression of certain players?

At least St Kilda supporters will be comforted by the knowledge they have Weller and Gilbert in reserve.

1 minute ago, Lord Travis said:

1 tackle for an entire game for someone playing a defensive forward role is poor. He was second worst in the team for tackles on the weekend. He spent a lot of time jogging around confused in no mans land when we had the ball, and not putting in effort to chase properly, instead just providing a token jogging chase when we didn’t. He had 2 disposals for the first 2.5 quarters of footy. His game was unarguably poor and he deserves to be dropped.

Is this a concern people had last year.? I'm obviously stuck watching a tv screen most of the time but will watch with interest this weekend at the Gabba. I'm hoping last week was just a bad day. Like ProDee I get the feeling he'll be left out but hope to see him action. I like the cut of his jib. And also see no reason why he and Fritsch can't play in the same team.

7 minutes ago, samcantstandya said:

He picks and chooses when 2 put in.

Interesting. Have others noted obvious examples of fluctuating effort levels? When you play the role he plays, you're going to have quiet quarters and quiet halves. But you've obviously seen him give up on chases and fail to repeatedly present to the ball carrier?

8 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

He needs to show he can get the ball more than half a dozen times a game though. 

You mean by averaging 12.4 possessions a game across his debut season? Why do you need to exaggerate? Small/medium forwards don't need to get a heap of the pill. His primary role is to apply defensive pressure. His secondary role is to kick a goal or two. He did both of these things very well in 2017. If the footy dept decide he didn't fulfil his primary role against Geelong then he might be omitted but last year his pressure acts, speed and tackling were impressive.

Or I could add a friend and we could have a 14 team comp.

1 hour ago, jayceebee31 said:

Thanks for pointing this out.....appreciate opening my eyes re brain.

Hope this doesn't put you off getting involved tomorrow night.